Rothacker Reviews

Three Cups of Tea

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin

For a pretty good review and video clips of Greg, visit Brittany Walker's Web site here.

Three Cups of Tea has been reviewed 2,264 times as of today on Amazon, holding spot # 70 on their bestseller list. Googled book reviews are never ending. Why? Why is this book resonating with so many people?

Because a decent, average guy with a huge heart is helping educate impoverished children in some of the most remote and harsh climates on the planet. While Greg is not some kind of rock star Ph.D., retired millionaire or superstar consultant, he really isn't average either. Average cannot be equated to Greg's persistence and determination in building schools in Middle Asia.

Because we catch a glimpse into the Muslim culture of Pakistan and Afghanistan. And we quickly realize that all Muslim's are not terrorists.

Because we think, "I wonder if I can make a difference in the world like Greg?"

Because Greg is not some kind of rock star, time management guru. The dude is not well organized, misses appointments and appears to be in a permanent state of chaos. Like you and I.

Because we know to get things done in this world we do it through relationships.

Because we are intrigued by a sound method of banishing terrorism.

Because deep in our hearts we crave the ability and wherewithal to help kids.

Here is what ices Greg's endeavor for me: He is helping to educate girls. Greg says:

Once you educate boys, they tend to leave the villages and go search for work in the cities. But the girls stay home, become leaders in the community, and pass on what they've learned. If you really want to change a culture, to empower women, improve basic hygiene and health care, and fight rates of infant mortality, the answer is to educate girls.

Once you've read Three Cups of Tea and Greg's latest book Stones into Schools, you will become powerless to fight the urge to help. You'll most likely want to take a few months off from work, go over to Middle Asia and spread your love and desire to help. Greg's Central Asia Institute is not geared to take on physical volunteers. They are quite geared however, to take donations. And American dollars can go a long way to help these kids who beg for education. Visit the Central Asia Institute and donate a couple dollars today.

I believe there is another way to help. The seeds of this idea are in the, "Once you educate..." quote above. Take a minute and read this quote again. Think girls, education and help. Think change. Think America. I'll follow this thought up with another post.

A Child's Plea for Help

"I am being raped every day. Can you help me?"

If you're like most normal human beings, you'd move mountains to help the child who came to you with this question. Intuitively you'd know: I don't have to be a doctor, therapist or social worker to help here. I can spend five minutes on Google and find a local agency to help.

You'd make the call and feel really good about what you did.

You know what the problem here is? Most kids who are the victims of sexual violence are either afraid to ask for help or don't know who to ask. Can you imagine being trapped in this vicious prison?

Elaine Carole knows.

ABC Action News team member Linda Hurtado tells Elaine's story in this segment from ABC Action News' recent prime time special Taking Action Against Domestic Violence.

So, if kids are not asking for help, how can we help them? Watch the ABC Action News story (linked to above) and check out the resources and links on this ABC Action News' Web page.

With a little education and information we can learn to recognize signs of abuse and make it easier for a child to reach out for help.

From the Florida Department of Children & Families here is the statewide number to call for help: 1-800-500-1119

For more on Elaine Carole and her book Stolen Innocence visit her Web site here.

Change by Design

Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO authored a book in 2009, titled Change by Design. Today it ranks number five at Amazon under the category Organizational Change. Tim writes:

This is not a book by designers for designers; this is a blueprint for creative leaders seeking to infuse design thinking - an approach for creative problem solving - into all facets of their organizations, products or services to discover new alternatives for business and society as a whole.

The high ranking at Amazon is not because a bunch of leaders who want to be creative rushed out to buy Tim's book - even though Tim clearly communicates the strategies and business reasons behind engaging design thinking, c-o-m-m-u-n-i-c-a-t-e-s in CEO and leader language. Rather the high ranking is because those who work for these leaders are desperately in search of - as in crawling across the hot desert floor in search of a tall, cool glass of water - other leaders who get it, other companies that are doing it and other ways to operate a company better.

If you're a CEO / leader and the word change begins to constrict the little fellers in your groin's environment, relax. You don't have to embrace creative problem solving to change your entire company. Learn about it, become familiar with it and change one outdated personal business practice. Once you've gotten your arms and mind around design thinking and have effected a positive personal outcome, you will be encouraged and excited to use it once again. For design thinking to be effective in your company, it must become a mindset in which you truly believe in.

The cold reality of the situation is that if you're a CEO / leader now and are not already tuned into design thinking, you will never will. Your best bet is to step down from CEO and become a Wal-Mart greeter for your company. The only difference is you'll have the wealth and knowledge of your typical WM greeter, but you'll get to actually use it because you will remain on with your company in an advisory capacity. (Wal-Mart shuns the depth-less pool of knowledge and resources contained in their greeter's hearts and minds).

Could you possibly imagine the courage and incredible self-knowledge of a CEO who understands that he doesn't have the capacity to embrace design thinking, but cares enough about his company to turn the reigns over to someone who does and remain on to help?

The cold reality of the situation is that this person doesn't exist. And this leads back to my number one recommendation for reading Tim's work: Learn to identify CEO's and companies who embrace design thinking. Learn from them. Work for them.

Here's another reason for reading Change by Design: Use it as a compass to help navigate your own road. Read the book looking through the window of your own potential development.